Jojee johnson



'Washingtom in the District of Columbia, have lowing is a full, clear, and exact description into the gun, thus obviating the necessity of .tire charging for a gun in my charger, all of .cap in cartridge loading.

Uri-irs Starts 'Partnr @einen CHAGER F0 riesame.

, Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. ll 3,5%?, dated September ll, 1555.

Ilo-@ZZ whom it may concern.-

.Be it known that-I, JosEE JOHNSON, of

invented anew and Improved Charger for Fire- Arms; and I- dohereby declare that the folof the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in whicl1- y Figure l is a side view. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section taken through the line x x, Fig. 4. Fig. 3 is an end view,with the cut-oil` valve closed. Fig. 4 is a top view, showing the cap in the clamp. Fig. 5 is an end view with the cnt-oil valve open.

Similar characters rcfertolike parts in the several figures. A y

The nature of my invention consists in an improved charger for fire-arms, which is composed of the combination of a projecting ball, hollow cylinder, and'cut-oft valve'coinbined in such a manner as to form a chamber ofa proper capacity to contain a charge of powder, and also to admit-of the ball projecting out from the end ol' the cylinder a sufficient dis* tance, so as to allow its oval or globular form to serve as a muzzle-piece to guide it the ball) using a muzzle-piecethe ball i'tselt' being a more ready and effective guide.

My invention also enables vme to patch the ball in the most approved way, as will be described.

lMy invention further consists in using in connection-with my chargera clamp ofa peculiar construct-ion for the purpose of holding a cap, thus enabling me to embrace the enwhich may be taken from or returned to' the pocket or cartridge-box ata single motion,thns saving the time usually spent in getting the To enablev others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

A'i's'thecylinder, which is formed with a hollow of a size equal to vthat of the caliber of the gunvwhich it is designed tochargc. Said cylinder is of sufficient length to contain the proper quantity ot powder .for a charge, also a part ofthe ballffas seen in Fig. 2.

C is the ball, inserted in the end of the cylinder in the manner as will be described in the operation.

B is the clamp for holdingthe cap, or rather to the post or projection D on the cylinder,by means of a screw, F, asseen in Figs. 2 and 4.

E is the cnt-oil" valve or cover,which opens and closes over the end of the cylinder, as clearly shown in in the drawings. Said valve is also secured to post D on cylinder A by means of screw F, as seen in Figs. 2 and 4. It will be seen that clamp Band cnt-off valve E are both secured to the charger by means of one screw in such a manner that should they become loose by use or otherwise they both'can be tightened by the one7 screw, thu'scombining economy and convenience in ,their attachment.

71., Fig. 2, isthe patch, which is confined between the cylinder and the ball, and patches the ball when the saine is forced into the gun.

g is "a projection or nipple on cutoff valve E, for opening and closing thesame. I

The manner ot' using 1ny charger is as follows: First, the charger, which is secured to l the cylinder, is filled or charged by opening cut-off valve E, as seen in Fig. 5, The patch is placed over the holein the cylinder. The ball is then laid on the patch over the hole, and pressed down in even with the end of the cylinder. The patch is then cut oft' smoothly,'leav ing no surplus cloth to retard the velocity of the' ball. Then a short ramrod is applied toit,

by which the ball is pressed through the cylinder into the position as seen in Figs; 1, 2, and 4. Said ramrod is provided with a shoul der,

which comes in contact with the end of thel cylinder exactly at. the time the ball reaches the point, as shown in the drawings, thus always positioning the ball at the properplace. The powder is then put in and valve E is closed, as seen in Fig. 3. Third, the cap is inserted in the clamp, as seen in Fig. 4, andthe charge is completc. To transfer the charge from the charger to the gun, open valve E, as seen in Fig. 5, pour the powder into the caliber of the gun, invert the charger, and apply the projected ball to the muzzle of` the gun, slip the ranirod through the cylindelgsibrcing the ball out of the-same and down to the powder at the breech of the gun, slip the charger oif overv thc end ofthe ranirod, and Withdraw the rod, then apply the capiu clamp B to the nipple of the gun and press it on,

. by the Sportsman or' soldier as he will be likely after which a slight pull sidewise breaks the hold of the clamp on the cap, and it (the cap) is left on the nipple, and the charge is complete. These chargers are designed ,to be loaded at home,or in ea1np,or at any time and place convenient, and as many of them carried to shoot times; or he can carry asmaller number and charge them at his convenience. They are made of a thin material, and are no more burdensome than most other arrangements for carrying ammunition.

The object of my invention is to facilitate the rapid muzzle-loading of rifles, and at the same time to retain all the advantages of the mostapproved style of patching rifle-balls. In all muz'zleloading-rile cartridges the patch is closed entirely around and fastened to the ball, in which case it is Wellknown that the patch clogs and greatly retards the velocity of the ball; but with the aid of my invention it will l be seen by examining Fig. 2that the patch lies behind and its edges pass around betweenthe-ball and the caliber of the gun, thus patch-` ing the ball perfectly, yetleaving the forward side of the ball perfectly clear, so that when the gun is discharged the patch drops -near the muzzle without retarding the velocity of the ball in the least degree. It has been proved by experiment that aride can be loaded with the aid of my charger in less time than with the rifle-cartridge now in use.

Having fully described my inyentiomwhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isv l. The combination ot the projecting ball C, cylinder A, and cutoff valve E, arranged and combined in the manne-r and forthe piu'- poses as herein described and set'forth.

2. Using clamp B in connection with the K charger, for the purpose of facilitating the rapid completion of the process of loading lire-arms, as described.

J OSEE J OHNSON.

' Attest:A

J onsY S. HoLLiXGsHnAD,

0. C. WILLsoN. 

